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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Tayforth Birding (2 Viewers)

spent yesterday/this morning in Speyside, then popped into Pass of Killiecrankie National Trust place on the way back this afternoon. Great views of a pair of Pied Flycatcher using a nestbox between the visitor centre and Soldier's Leap, plus another singing nearby. 2+ Garden Warbler and loads of Wood Warblers. Top quality stuff, haven't been to the area for years (and had no idea pied flys would be so easy).
 
Well, i visited my local patch today, Cullaloe (it's a local nature reserve in Fife, used to be a reservoir, now a SSSI for it's rare plants). I don't normally go there, preferring to go a bit further afield, but since i'm off work with a bad back at the moment (but you didn't realise that yesterday, Delia! :) ) i thought it would be nice to pop round.
The place was so much more lively than the last time i was there. Swallows absolutely everywhere, and for being at the side of the road, the bird song still managed to drown out the car noise (though i still can't tell one bird from another!) Saw a couple of willow warblers on the way to the reservoir, plus the usual suspects, chaffinch, blue tit, blackbird, robin and a mistle thrush.
The loch itself was quite quiet, but quite interesting. The coots were on the loch with their chicks (i counted 4 chicks with the one pair of coots, although i suspect there are more there) and the mallards had their chicks, too (5 of those). Plus the resident male ruddy duck. And of course the usual suspects, the grey heron, a pair of mute swans, at least 5 pairs of tufted duck, moorhen and plenty of coot.

Was only there for a couple of hours, but was a worthwhile little visit.
 
new bird for me today, i was on my to the sidlaw hills today for a walk, while driving past a field just south of kirkton of auchterhouse i startled a skylark which made me slow down, then suddenly a hoopoe took flight, this was at 6.10 pm , it flew along side the car for a few seconds then headed east, i tried to read up on it in my complete book of british birds and its not even mentioned?,nice bird though, on the way to the sidlaws i saw loads of swallows,not been out for a while so it was good to see them, on the sidlaws i saw stonechats/meadow pipits/sedge warbler/wheater/cuckoo the last has been in the same area for a while, the ponds are full of tadpoles and i saw my first mating newts of the year,suprisingly i saw no birds of prey
 
Great spot kawwauser but why couldn't you have chased it westwards:'D

The last one (in fact the only one I've seen) was at the Heavy Horse Centre at Glencarse. Can't remember what year that was, but mid-90's I'd think.

Maybe someone else knows.

D
 
97 I think. Saw it twice.

Rob

There! I knew someone would know:hi: Thanks Rob.

A run to Kinnordy on Tuesday afternoon - via Aberbrothrie.

Loads of Linnets and Skylarks about. And, seemingly, Yellowhammers round every bend!

I'm sure I heard a couple of Ravens near the golf course, but behind a stand of trees so couldn't see them, just a couple of calls though.

The Osprey looks like she is sitting on eggs, just her head visible.

Heard my first Sedge Warbler of the year at Kinnordy.

D
 
Heard my first Sedge Warbler of the year at Kinnordy.

D

You should come to my patch sometime, they're absolutely everywhere there. I hear whitethroat all the time too (but i've yet to actually see one... although a fleeting glimpse today might just have been one, but can't be sure!)
There's 1 sedge warbler that's quite happy to sit in a willow with me right underneath it singing it's little heart out. Was in the same tree for the 2 hours i was there this afternoon.
 
Heard my first Sedge Warbler of the year at Kinnordy.

I called in at Kinnordy on Wednesday afternoon on my way home from Edinburgh and thought how strange it was that I couldn't hear any sedge warblers. In fact I think I've only seen/heard one so far this year. There was a blackcap singing near the gullery hide though.

I haven't been to the reserve for years. It isn't quite the same without black-necked grebes right in front of the hide, but still worth a visit. Four Gadwalls at the back of the loch were nice - the first I've seen for ages.
 
I called in at Kinnordy on Wednesday afternoon on my way home from Edinburgh and thought how strange it was that I couldn't hear any sedge warblers. In fact I think I've only seen/heard one so far this year. There was a blackcap singing near the gullery hide though.

I haven't been to the reserve for years. It isn't quite the same without black-necked grebes right in front of the hide, but still worth a visit. Four Gadwalls at the back of the loch were nice - the first I've seen for ages.

The Gadwalls weren't showing when I was there. The Sedge Warbler just sang the once but apparently they're more active at the East Hide.

D
 
Loch Leven

We walked the new path from Burleigh Sands to the Pow Burn yesterday. Pairs of Great Crested Grebe and Gadwall on the water. Looked for the reported Black-necked Grebe, but no luck.

On the loch side of the path there was a Reed Bunting flitting about surrounded by 30 or 40 orange-tip butterflies. We saw a Coal Tit, a Buzzard and on the path itself, lots of Pied Wagtails, Chaffinches and Robins. On the fence there was a Tree Sparrow, another addition to my list. Excellent extended views of a Treecreeper on the way back. We thought we heard Sedge Warblers, but weren't sure.

We extended the walk to go and have a look from the site of the old hide. The hide itself has recently been burnt down. (I don't know what it is about hides that incites people to arson.) There was a duck there that looked almost like a Mallard, but not quite. Shorter, finer beak and no speculum. In the end we resorted to calling it a hybrid.

I'll be pleased when the path goes all the way round the loch, but I hope it won't all be as determinedly fenced in as today's section was.

Michael.
 
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Montreathmont Woods

Delia, you mentioned Montreathmont in an earlier post and having just come across this YouTube video about the threat of industrial development there, I was wondering if that has been resolved.

Michael.
 
Delia, you mentioned Montreathmont in an earlier post and having just come across this YouTube video about the threat of industrial development there, I was wondering if that has been resolved.

Michael.

Hi Michael

I'm sorry, I didn't know about this. I'd heard about the possibility of a windfarm in the area but away at one end that wasn't (according to my informant) in a 'problem area', at least as far as the wildlife was concerned.

I only get over there a few times a year and don't always bump into the local birders.

hmm seems like I need to do some digging around;)

D

D
 
My wife and I have just come back from two weeks in Scotland and the Outer Hebrides. On the way home we took a detour off the A9 in Perthshire and we were driving down this minor road through suitable Black Grouse habitat. I thought I saw a head poking up out of the scrub so we stopped the car and there were three male Black Grouse. We remained in the car and after about 10 minutes they flew and up came a further 11 male Black Grouse that we had not noticed. They flew across the road and went down in the birch scrub. Fantastic sight. We had seen Black Grouse in two places on the way up but only single birds. Roger
 
Hi Roger - thanks for that. I rarely see them, though I've now got a couple on my Patch. Well what I mean by that is I saw a male a couple of months ago and a female the other week

Can you remember where they were - could you PM me?

D
 
Thanks for that Icharus.

I'm off to Kinnordy tomorrow afternoon, so I may well go via Lintrathen for a change. I've neglected that loch since the Osprey returned to the pylon.

D
 
just back from 2 weeks in the Highlands. Our only stop in Perthshire produced a nuthatch at Killiecrankie NTS and I see from the sightings board that another was reported at loch garten. They're definitely spreading north

Gordon
 
Quick look at Powmouth & Rossie Moor.

Today late morning - early afternoon. Gt Spotted woodpecker flying regularly through car parking area by iron footbridge NO655578
At Rossie Moor Male Stonechat bringing food to nest & indulging in complicated and deceptive flight pattern to enter nesting area. NO645537 In the plantation on the west side of the road a single jay NO640536.
 
A Lifer for me this afternoon.

I finished work at 4 and shot across to Lintrathen Loch. A few minutes search, just, produced the Pectoral Sandpiper.B :) I took some photos but doubt if they're any good - not down loaded them yet)

A bit distant for it's size and really quite well camoflaged.

Lots going on there today: Shelduck with about 20 ducklings at least three Common Sandpipers and a Redshank.

Then an Osprey came in to fish right above me.

Heard Goldcrest in the woods and there was a Goldfinch at the top of a pine tree by the car park.

Nice birthday pressie:D

D
 

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